U.S. Thermal Coal in Surrey: The Fight Continues!
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- Published on Thursday, 28 August 2014 17:20
- Written by editor
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Tell Metro Vancouver to stand up against U.S. thermal coal!
Hello PAOV,
Last week, I was very disappointed to hear that the Federal Port Authority in Vancouver, Port Metro Vancouver, issued a permit to Fraser Surrey Docks (FSD) to begin constructing a new coal handling facility.
Despite saying the facility would handle four million tonnes of dirty US thermal coal—the worst climate polluting type of coal—each year, FSD has made it clear that they intend to increase that capacity all the way to 8 million tonnes—as soon as they can!
The Port ignored the fact that this permit will cause 17 million tonnes of climate changing gases to be released into the atmosphere every year. That’s more than a quarter of the total amount of climate change currently produced by the province of BC under current accounting!
The Port relied on a report produced by a sub-contractor, SNC Lavalin, to come to the conclusion that there were no “unacceptable risks” associated with the project. However, health officials at both Vancouver Coastal Health and the Fraser Health Authority had demanded a role in determining exactly what SNC Lavalin were to examine when it came to the health impacts of the project on local communities. They were shut out throughout the whole process.
SNC Lavalin is a giant engineering company that has been reprimanded by the World Bank for its misconduct and bribery. A proper report would have involved our health officials and would have included the impact that greenhouse gases generated by this project will have on our communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified climate change as a major threat to global health.
However, there is still hope! One hurdle remains before FSD can build its coal terminal: an air permit. The quality of our air and protection of our health is the job of BC’s Medical Health Officers. In the case of air permits, the BC Government has delegated the job of issuing air permits to Officers at the regional district of Metro Vancouver. Astoundingly, FSD has brought the regional district to court to challenge their jurisdiction over air quality, while at the same time applying for an air permit for their new facility.
This court case seeks to strip us of important health protection measures and hand them over to an unelected board at the Port. We need to take action now!
Join me in writing to Metro Vancouver, telling them to stand strong for our communities and for our health, and to deny FSD their air permit. Click here and tell Metro Vancouver to protect you and your loved ones from the dangers of climate change!
Write a letter now >>
Thanks for taking action now!
Eoin Madden | Climate Campaigner
Wilderness Committee
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Photo: Train transporting coal (Paul Anderson).
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